Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Uncle Smiley — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:21:47 GMT

Gotalife

Great book, great track, great history of magnificent people who strive to give us the best of racing, at all different levels. And at Amazon for $5.50!

Next goal, who will be the great jockeys to graduate from DelPark. As of late it has been Ramon Dominguez, number one, and Anna Rosie Napravnik, numbr twelve.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

mz — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 14:15:09 GMT

First Grammar.

Then Science (Biology).

Next: Math? Algebra I can take. Just don't give me that sine, tangent whatever stuff.

How about we just stick to Literature? (Steve's post)

p.s. Yay for the "littler" tracks. Maybe the Breeders' Cup people should stop thinking of just two tracks and start thinking about spreading the largesse around. (note the French? It was my major, with a PolySci minor. What can I say? I thought I was going into government in a bilingual country. Ha!)

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Slew — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:40:57 GMT

Mary: Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes. Horses, however, have 32 pairs of chromosomes=64.

Cassandra: Horses receive 32 chromosomes from the sire, and 32 chromosomes from the dam. So, it is biologically impossible for a horse to carry only one set. However, it is only the dam who can pass on the Xfactor to colts and fillies, because it is part of the x chromosome (female) rather than the y (male) chromosome. Sires can pass the xfactor only to their fillies. That is why the dam line is so important. The xfactor passes on the athletically large heart, accounting for stamina. To date, the xfactor has been traced back to the dam of Eclipse.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

gotalife — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 17:16:50 GMT

There's a pretty good history of Delaware Park that I've seen lately... It's just called DELAWARE PARK and the author is Kenneth Baumgardt...check it out!

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Slew — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:00:55 GMT

Mary: Horses receive 32 chromosomes each from sire and dam, giving them 64 chromosomes.

Humans have 2 sets of 23.

Time to do a little research?

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

cuban chef de race — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 04:21:13 GMT

this year you will see what derby pedigree patterns and patience will get marriage in the winner circle, this blog will be great to learn and to teach,we have a lot of time to exchange hopes.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Karen in Texas — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 02:26:50 GMT

I think I used the term 'equine' in my previous post. I meant the horse, equus caballus, specifically.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Karen in Texas — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 23:25:20 GMT

Mary,

Humans have 23 pairs of chromosomes for a total of 46. Equines have 32 pairs of chromosomes (one pair from each parent) for a total of 64.

www.genomebc.ca/.../chromsome-fundamentals

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Mary — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:08:55 GMT

KY Vet, I agree too late. I'm going with Union Rags. I have been with him since he won his maiden, so he's my boy. I love him.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Mary — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 02:07:15 GMT

Cassandra, biologically impossible. Horses receive 2 sets of 23 chromosomes, one set from the dam, one from the sire. Now if you want to talk about cells and genes, another ball game. It's complicated but I think you can handle it. You seem to be interested in the pedigree of horses. I like that.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Uncle Smiley — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 01:34:11 GMT

Delaware Park Redux:

Fairground, March 17, Race 9. This year.

Havre de Grace, Juanita, Ramon Dominguez plus the young rising star, Rosie Napravnik.

Three of the four are Delaware Park graduates. Juanita, deserves an honorary degree!

Havre de Grace displayed incredible class, as she dominated Napravnik's galiant try to defend the inner lanes.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

datflippinrabbit — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 12:56:00 GMT

If you're going to beat the top pics in the Derby i would have to pick Optimizer ceartainly has a late kick,if the Rebel was 9f he'd have won it the winner was getting gobbled up in the last few strides,lets hope he moves forward and he will be a force to recon with in the final furlong.Best finish i've seen so far of any preps.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Trebloc — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 19:17:00 GMT

Here is my KY Derby tribox: Castaway, Street Life and Cigar Street. My sources tell me Cigar Street to the LA Derby.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Aaron McC — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 18:17:43 GMT

The only thing I know about Delaware Park is that it was the site of the best race last year: the Delaware Handicap mentioned by Chris Sobocinski, above.

I know it was only a grade two, but, by far that great stretch duel between Blind Luck and Havre de Grace outshadowed for me the eventual NTRA moment of the year, Drosselmeyer's classic win. I know an award like that has to be advertising for the sport's bigger stages, but from a serious fan's perspective - that was about as good as it gets.

I've noticed that you occasionally write reflective pieces on recent equine retirees, Steve. I wonder if you have plans to give Blind Luck a sendoff? Also, any insight into her potential as a broodmare? I always thought, given the way others spoke of her that she didn't have the best pedigree or conformation (at least size-wise), but she managed to bring a good chunk at auction last fall ...

Thanks in advance,

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

CHIEF PICAWINNA — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 15:18:46 GMT

If you play trainers on a daily basis like I do I like Delaware Park because I follow L Jones.I was lucky with him there the last year before he retired and I will try again to see if it was a fluke.BTW he doesnt ship many out but when he does very well especially to Monmouth.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Cassandra.Says — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:31:09 GMT

It is told of America's greatest breeder, Col. E. R. Bradley, that he refused to breed to any Fair Play descended stud but loved War Admiral. When chided for inconsistency, Bradley famously said "War Admiral is a Sweep."

This story is meant to illustrate many things about the Colonel except what it does, in fact, demonstrate. He was a masterful horseman with a wizard's eye.

It is biologically possible for War Admiral to be a Sweep, which would mean the Man o' War sperm that sired him carried only chromosomes from Man o' War's dam. It can happen. The trick is being horseman enough to recognize it when it races past you.

Hansen's distaff isn't reassuring, but Sir Cat was a staying Storm Cat who had splended sources of stamina on his dam side. Sir Cat won the Kent S. at 9 furlongs on soft turf, the ultimate tryer of stamina, attending an honest pace and sprinting away from his field in the last furlong. Some Ribot/Quill showing up that day.

That Hansen has speed does not disprove that he has stamina, but it's not proven yet either.

It will not break the laws of biology if he stays.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Don from PA/DE — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 07:29:13 GMT

,,,"He's...Back."..!!! "Gemologist"

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

KY VET — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 02:41:47 GMT

HATE TO BE THE ONE TO TELL YOU ALL........but its too late for all these horses you are all talking about! THERE ARE ONLY 5 HORSES with a chance of winning the derby......UNION RAGS

EL PADRINO

CREATIVE CAUSE

HANSEN

ALPHA

it is simply too late to catch up...with only 1 race to go........

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Uncle Smiley — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 02:15:11 GMT

Steve,

Not only great two year olds, but DelPark is the proving grounds for some of the best riders, too.

Ramon Dominguez, and Rosie Napravnik, have given us local habitues, and the larger racing audience, many wonderful races.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

robinm — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 20:59:51 GMT

I didn't realize how many really good horses got their start at Deleware Park. My personal favorite is Afleet Alex; in my opinion the best colt in recent history not to win the Triple Crown.

It's good to hear it's a safe track and kind to the 2-yr olds, and presumably older horses too.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Fran Loszynski — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:35:43 GMT

Delaware Park has magic at every turn. Thank you Steve for the recap of the day Nick Zito wanted to buy Afleet Alex, great memory. I said to myself if Nick Zito wants to buy him, he is an awesome horse! Tim Ritchey, Butch Reid, and Nick Zito my favorite trainers. I still keep an eye out for when Nick Zito has a horse against an Afleet Alex foal; because Mr. Zito is on my carte blanche list of trainers.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Mary — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:35:40 GMT

Criminal Type, I agree. I have been asking the same thing for a long time now, why are most people focusing on the sire line of Union Rag's pedigree. Very aggravating. I look at the tail side of a horse's pedigree, before the sire side. In my mind a colt is only as good as the mare he is bred to. You are right, tons of stamina on the tail side.

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Don from PA/DE — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 16:05:52 GMT

Smallbrennan, interesting, I grew up on LI (Garden City) a stonesthrow from both Roosevelt Raceway & Belmont, but never went to any live racing, moved to Newark DE in 1976 and discovered DP in late 1980's and other than two trips to PARX and one trip to the new GS a few winters ago, this is only track I have experienced live racing, worth the trip, once you get past belt prkwy 100 miles south on NJP usually under 3 hr drive, enjoy...Bill 2, true fields are difficultly small most days, and speaking of local trainers, besides Fair Hill, J. Sheappard and that wierly bizzzre horse wizard...Michael ala Haas/Tapit/ Dickinson! Guess he is back in jolly old England? Enjoy...

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

It aint easy being good! — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 15:39:21 GMT

Great article and I agree with Dr. D Afleet Alex needs to go into a category called beast mode! He was an amazing horse.

You guys need to hold the union rags crush until he faces some serious contenders. Also its way too early, lets say Union Rags gets the 1 hole come derby day are all of you still going to be on the bandwagon?

The best horse sometimes doesnt win the derby so hold your toungue before you start comparing Union Rags to other greats!

re: Haskin's Derby Trail: Delaware Path From Rags to Riches

Bill Two — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:20:17 GMT

It certainly is true that Delaware Park has turned out some real stars and that's not just a function of the track surface. If you look at the stables at nearby Fair Hill and those at Delaware Park you have a representation of collection of some of the best people and horses in the sport. My only problem with the track is the everyday product. It is mostly composed of small fields of sprinters and/or really cheap stock. Too much racing in the mid-Atlantic area has resulted in mediocre day-to-day racing. The track itself is a gem and the paddock is second to none. Bring the family and have a nice day.